Non-invasive headphones restore speech to ALS patients

A non-invasive device powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology with a brain-computer interface (BCI) has been developed by US company Cognixion and has now entered a key phase of testing in patients. Ten patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) will be trained with the device, which is intended to make it easier for them to communicate with family members.

ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease of the motor neurons that causes a slow loss of voluntary movement. As the disease progresses, patients lose the ability to speak and communicate without words.

Renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking got around this problem with a specialized voice synthesizer, designed by Intel, that converted his facial muscle movements and eye blinks into speech. And while Hawking's device was tailored to his needs, advances in technology now allow ALS patients to have similar options by directing their attention to an augmented reality (AR) display on a headset.

The BCI device cognition, called Axon R, is a headset that can track brain activity noninvasively. The headset's electrodes are placed in the occipital region at the back of the skull. Using electroencephalography (EEG), a standard technique for monitoring brain activity, the headset records steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs), a brain signal that is emitted as a natural response to an image that flickers at regular intervals.

The headset, on the other hand, uses AR technology to display different options for letters, words or phrases to the user, and then uses brain signals to decode their choices. Unlike Hawking's device, the user does not have to look directly at the word/text to make a choice, but their attention to the word activates the brain signal. At the end of the exercise, the headset can read the message or display it on the screen.

Cognixion has enhanced the device with an AI-driven assistant system that can help patients produce speech faster. This isn't just an auto-complete function that selects words based on the highest likelihood, but an assistant trained to understand each patient's speech or writing.

Through Axon-R, Cognixion aims to provide “fast, almost conversational” communication. The clinical trial aims to determine the priorities that guide SSVEP selection and improve dialogue between patients and caregivers. Given that ALS is a terminal disease, it is expected that the device will help patients express their choices about care and end-of-life decisions.

In addition to ALS patients, the device could also help patients with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and other similar conditions. While many companies are looking to create BCI devices and bring them to market, including Elon Musk's Neuralink, the advantage of the Axon-R device is its non-invasive nature.

Cognixion will have 10 users able to hold conversations this summer, and plans a larger trial with 50 patients. Positive test results could help secure approval for the use of this revolutionary technology. /Telegraph/